The utilization of a fifth wheel trailer hitch for pulling various towed vehicles, especially recreational trailers, has been suggested in the past. This method has been used on a variety of towing vehicles and is commonly attached to a pick-up truck inside the bed of such vehicle, as disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,288. The major disadvantage of such a method of trailer coupling is that the bed of the pick-up truck cannot be used to its fullest capacity because of the fifth wheel assembly and the space needed to allow the trailer free pivot clearances. Another disadvantage of such prior methodology is that the trailer hitch and trailer tongue must be raised a sufficient distance to couple with the fifth wheel assembly in the truck bed. Such raising usually requires a jack or lift of some kind.
A fifth wheel trailer hitch has also been mounted on the bed of a pick-up truck or on such truck's bumper as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,941,407. Other fifth wheel trailer hitch assemblies use a separate dolly between the towing vehicle and the towed vehicle as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,865,405 and 3,829,129. The disadvantages of such arrangements are the trailer balance points are harder to equalize, many parts in the assemblies, turning radii are reduced, and multiple-pivot points in the towing axis.